New Documents Detail Mexican Military Incursions!

November 1, 2006
From the Desk of Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton:

Judicial Watch recently obtained documents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that detail more than 226 Mexican government incursions between 1996 and 2005 - an average of 25 per year. (An incursion is defined by DHS as, "the unauthorized crossing of the U.S.-Mexico border by Mexican Government Personnel.") It seems that armed Mexican soldiers and Mexican police officers are regularly crossing our border with little or no consequence.

The records obtained by Judicial Watch through the Freedom of Information Act consist of annual intelligence summaries of "Mexican Government Incidents," compiled over a nine-year period. They were designated as "limited official use" by the DHS, requiring "special protection against unauthorized or inadvertent disclosure." After reading the documents, I can understand why the federal government would want to keep a lid on them.

The intelligence summaries provide detailed maps of the incursions, along with descriptions of other documented "incidents" involving Mexican government personnel and Border Patrol agents. The records describe incidents involving shots fired on both sides of the border, unmarked helicopters invading U.S. airspace, drug smuggling, and confrontations between U.S. Border Patrol agents and armed members of the Mexican military.

Here are a few highlights:
MEXICAN MILITARY ENCOUNTER (ARMED/THREATENING) RIO GRANDE VALLEY/BROWNSVILLE - "As the boat proceeded to go down river towards the scene, the [Border Patrol] Agent on board advised via radio that several Mexican soldiers were pointing their rifles in his direction. The Agent decided for his safety and the safety of the crew to turn back, but advised that the soldiers were still aiming at them." (2005)

MEXICAN MILITARY SIGHTING - TUCSON/DOUGLAS STATION - "The [Border Patrol] Agents were returning to their assigned area when they heard four distinct gunshots coming from Mexico. The gunshots were fired when the Agents were approximately 10 feet away." (2005)

MEXICAN MILITARY SIGHTING (ARMED) LAREDO/ZAPATA: "This boat, which appeared to be a Mexican Military boat, was providing security and escort for the two others that were later found to be transporting 2,716.53 pounds of Marijuana." (2003)

Border Patrol agents have a difficult enough job as it is stopping the flow of illegal aliens without having to worry about running into squads of Mexican soldiers working to mover drugs across our border. I would hazard a guess we don't have this problem with the Canadian armed forces in the north. The federal government should take these incursions seriously and take measures to stop them. As these documents show, it is a joke to think we will ever receive any help from the Mexican government in helping to police the southern border.

Judicial Watch’s investigation of Mexican government incursions is related to Judicial Watch’s larger campaign to fight illegal immigration. When public officials undermine federal immigration laws, we don’t just complain about it. We go to court to stop them.

Here are some other highlights from Judicial Watch’s Illegal Immigration Program:
Judicial Watch Sues Los Angeles Police Department Over Dangerous& Unlawful Immigration Policy
ACLU Asks Court to Allow Illegal Immigrants to Intervene in JudicialWatch’s Special Order 40 Lawsuit
Judicial Watch Files Lawsuit Against City of Laguna Beach, CA OverIllegal Day Laborer Site
Government Documents Detail Local Law Enforcement Role inImmigration Enforcement
New Report Exposes Mexican “Separatist” School Funded by Taxpayers!
JW Defends State Trooper Attacked by ACLU for Arresting Illegals

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